David McCully, with guitar, leads a Pop-Up Prayer Group in the Tennessee Riverpark.Before moving to Chattanooga back in April, David and Laura McCully used to host prayer meetings and potluck dinners for friends in their home in Dallas, Texas.
The couple wanted to continue that tradition after moving here but, given their limited number of acquaintances, they thought inviting strangers to their home might be off-putting.
So they came up with the idea of taking their meetings to the public instead of bringing the public to them. Their first interfaith "pop-up" prayer meeting took place in late June. Since then, they've created the Pop Up Prayer Group and now hold them every Thursday at 7 p.m. at spots all over town.
"It's usually an hour and we bring a myriad of printed materials and we introduce a topic of a spiritual nature and then open it up to interfaith prayers," David McCully says.
Last week's topic, for instance, was: "What kinds of things in life stand in the way in terms of your nearness to God?"
But the question often is just a starting point, David says, and the discussions can go in any number of directions. At times, an attendee may have a specific need or prayer request, he says.
So far, attendance has ranged from a couple of people to a dozen or so, he says, and the age range has varied as well. He advertises the meetings via flyers, on his website at popupprayers.com and on Facebook at facebook.com/popupprayergroup.
Betty Morris has attended a half dozen or so Pop-Up meetings and particularly likes the interfaith aspect of the gatherings.
"I like that it is open to anyone," she says.
The spiritual nature of the meetings also is a draw, she says. And sometimes it seems to draw in other things.
"The first one was one of the really hot, stifling days and we said some prayers at the beginning and this beautiful breeze came up," she says. "It happened the next week. That was pretty cool."
Getting the word out about the meetings and the group's mission are his biggest challenges right now, David says.
"This is a little bit different and people seem to be afraid that we have some kind of agenda or we are trying to push a certain faith or idea," he says. "And people are busy."
Most attendees so far have lived in the area or happened to be near when the meeting is taking place, he says, but some come because they've heard about Pop Up Prayer Group and made the effort to attend. A few have come to more than one meeting, he says.
Along with the spiritual angle of the group, meeting new people is a big reason for organizing the gatherings, he says.
"We were at Miller Park a few weeks ago and Laura and I got there earlier than scheduled," he recalls. "There was a group waiting on a bus and some ended up coming up and joining us.
"One woman needed some help. Her mother was in Siskin [Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation] and she needed some prayers, and we did that for her and some phone numbers were exchanged, which was kind of cool to see that happen."
So far, everything is organized by just the McCullys, but ultimately, they'd like to see Pop Up Prayer Groups take place all over town all during the week. The couple has reached out to some churches and religious organizations about working together, but so far nothing has come of it, David says.
"This isn't something we own or have propriety over," he says. "We just believe it can be a good thing."
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.